Torrington inn’s renovation project stalled as owner seeks financing

BY BRUNO MATARAZZO JR.
REPUBLICAN-AMERICAN

The front doors of The Yankee Pedlar Inn in Torrington have remained covered with plywood since 2015 after plans to remodel the hotel stalled. Republican-American archiveLisa Stepler is a co-owner of The Arts Desire in downtown Torrington. Republican-American archiveJessica Washington is a co-owner of The Arts Desire in downtown Torrington. Republican-American archive

TORRINGTON – The Yankee Pedlar Inn remains boarded up as its owner continues to seek financing for a complete overhaul, but two first-floor businesses have been told to move out by the end of the month to empty the building in preparation for an uncertain construction start.

The Arts Desire and Platinum Salon, both tenants at the Pedlar, will be looking for new shops after three years and 17 years, respectively, at their current location.

“The goal is to stay in Torrington,” said Lisa Stepler, co-owner of The Arts Desire with her sister, Jessica Washington.

Stepler said they are looking at number of sites in the city and one in Watertown.

Pedlar owner Ashook Patel said the downtown inn’s long-stalled renovation project is still going forward, but city building officials say no permits have been taken out for the work needed to reopen the 125-year-old, 60-room hotel on Main Street.

The current owner, Jamsan Hospitality of Lexington, Mass., purchased the hotel for $650,000 on Nov. 19, 2014. Patel, principal of Jamsan, has said the company is seeking about $3 million in financing for the project.

Jamsan teamed up with the Phoenix-based hotel chain Best Western in 2015 on a plan to reopen the historic inn following a full remodeling. The original plan was to reopen in the fall of 2016, but financing delays have pushed it back.

Contact Bruno Matarazzo Jr. at bmatarazzo@rep-am.com or on Twitter @RA_BrunoJr.